Effects of early nutrition and transport of 1-day-old chickens on production performance and fear response

Abstract

The importance of optimal early life conditions of broilers to sustain efficient and healthy production of broiler meat is increasingly recognized. Therefore, novel husbandry systems are developed, in which immediate provision of nutrition post hatch is combined with on-farm hatching. In these novel systems, 1-day-old-chick handling and transport are minimized. To study whether early nutrition and reduced transport are beneficial for broiler performance and behavior, the effects of early or delayed nutrition and post-hatch handling and transport were tested from hatch until 35 d of age, in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. In total, 960 eggs were hatched in 36 floor pens. After hatch, chicks were given immediate access to water and feed (early nutrition) or after 54 h (delayed nutrition). Eighteen hours after hatch, chicks remained in their pens (non-transported control), or were subjected to short-term handling and transport to simulate conventional procedures. Subsequently, chicks returned to their pens. Compared with delayed-fed chickens, early-fed chickens had greater body weight up to 21 d of age, but not at slaughter (35 d of age). No effects of transport or its interaction with moment of first nutrition were found on performance. At 3 d post hatch, transported, early-fed chicks had a greater latency to stand up in a tonic immobility test than transported, delayed-fed chicks, but only in chicks that were transported. At 30 d post hatch, however, latency was greater in transported, delayed-fed chickens than in transported, early-fed chicks. This may indicate long-term deleterious effects of delayed nutrition on fear response in transported chickens. It is concluded that early nutrition has mainly beneficial effects on performance during the first 2 wk post hatch, but these beneficial effects are less evident in later life. The combination of transport and early nutrition may influence the chicken's strategies to cope with stressful events in early and later life.

Effects of on-farm and traditional hatching on welfare, health, and performance of broiler chickens

“…A review of various studies under controlled conditions showed that immediate posthatch feeding significantly improves body weight at slaughter age compared with chickens that have been food deprived for 36 h posthatch or longer, but there is considerable variation between studies ( de Jong et al., 2017 ). For example, Hollemans et al. (2018) observed a higher body weight only until 21 D of age in chickens that were immediately fed posthatch as compared with chickens that were posthatch feed deprived for 54 h. In the present study, the food deprivation period may not have exceeded the period necessary to find long-term effects, for instance because in the particular experiment the distance between hatchery and farm is short resulting in a transport time of only 45 min.…”

“…It is very likely that the timing of the first feeding moment affects both performance and welfare ( Willemsen et al., 2010 ; de Jong et al., 2017 ), but the effects of other factors such as day-old chick transport and environmental conditions during hatching on broiler performance and welfare are less clear. Hollemans et al. (2018) showed that day-old chick transport and early nutrition had interactive effects on fearfulness but that transport as such did not affect productivity in broiler chickens that were fed or feed deprived immediately posthatch.…”

“…Moreover, early posthatch feed deprivation may impair gut development and broiler health, although this merits further study as not all studies have shown significant negative effects ( de Jong et al., 2017 ). In addition to this posthatch feed deprivation, chicks in conventional hatching systems are exposed to disinfection, high dust, and pathogen loads ( de Gouw et al., 2017 ), high noise levels, continuous darkness ( Archer and Mench, 2014 ), handling (vaccination, selection) ( Knowles et al., 2004 ; Hedlund et al., 2019 ), and transport ( Mitchell, 2009 ; Jacobs et al., 2017 ; Hollemans et al., 2018 ). These are major stressors ( Mitchell, 2009 ; de Gouw et al., 2017 ; Hedlund et al., 2019 ) that could have long-term consequences on the health and welfare of the chickens ( Elfwing et al., 2015 ; Ericsson et al., 2016 ; Hedlund et al., 2019 ).…”

Short and long term effects of early nutrition in broiler chickens

“…Body weight was greater in EN compared with DN chickens throughout the experiment (77 % at 4 d to 39 % at 14 d), as expected (de Jong et al, 2017;Hollemans et al, 2018). Residual yolk weight was evaluated to compare yolk disappearance in EN versus DN broilers.…”

There is no place like home: Larval habitat type and size affect risk‐taking behaviour in fire salamander larvae (Salamandra salamandra)

“…While previous literature comprehensively reports the effect of the early environment on adult morphology and physiology (e.g. Alcobendas, Buckley, & Tejedo, 2004; Gutiérrez et al., 2014; Searcy, Peters, & Nowicki, 2004), less studies have focussed on behavioural traits (but see Fox & Millam, 2004; Hollemans, Vries, Lammers, & Clouard, 2018). However, a previous study of Krause et al.…”